They'll Learn Much More (Than I'll Ever Know)
by ElisaCollette
Summary: Beca and Chloe have been together - and married - for several years. They have found a rhythm and happiness in life that they (or at least Beca) never imagined possible. Now they intend to start a family - what could possibly go wrong? Mainly a Bechloe story - but with frequent visits from Jesse, Aubrey, and Stacie. (And more old friends in coming chapters).
1. I See Them Bloom For Me and You

_**They'll Learn Much More (Than I'll Ever Know)**_

Chapter 1 – I see them bloom, for me and you

Chloe was giddy with excitement; her blue eyes sparkled. Beca never particularly felt that way when she was spread eagle in the gynecologist's office, but then who was she to judge? The redhead chatted freely throughout the exam while Beca gritted her teeth, thinking about what the doctor was doing to her wife. Her own lady parts felt a bit numb just from considering it. She allowed her eyes to wander along the ceiling tiles and where the wall met them, never lower than that. She was not even comfortable being present at her own doctor's visits. This was pure torture.

When the doctor was finished, she removed her gloves and washed her hands while Chloe sat up on the exam table, waiting for news. "Chloe, I'll get these samples to the lab and give you a call once we have the results."

The redhead beamed. "Then can we inseminate?" She asked, excitedly. Beca cringed. She wanted children – but the word was just so clinical – and gross.

"As long as everything checks out," the doctor answered with a smile. "I'll talk to you soon. Nice to see you, Beca."

"You too, Dr. G," she said weakly. Once the doctor was gone, Chloe slipped back into her teal and turquoise sundress and slipped her feet back into the matching flats. Beca leaned against the counter, frowning at her phone.

"What's up?" Chloe asked, popping up next to her.

"Nothing," Beca responded. She shoved her phone back into the pocket of her black jeans and looked over at Chloe. "But my meeting was cancelled this afternoon – so I have the rest of the day." Chloe's eyes lit up, as Beca knew they would. "Come on," she said with a quirked smile, taking Chloe's arm. "Let's go to lunch – you can decide there how you're going to torture me for the afternoon." The redhead laughed and picked up her purse, walking with Beca back to the car.

After that appointment, Beca put the entire set of events out of her mind. She had a record she was producing – and it was on a deadline. She was certainly nothing thinking about the doctor's appointment two days later when she was interrupted in the studio.

She was focused in on her work when one of the secretaries from the front office knocked timidly on the door. Most of the office staff wouldn't dare interrupt during a studio session – but there were always exceptions. Beca pressed the intercom, asked the artist to take a break, told her own production assistants to take five, and opened the door. Penelope, one of Beca's favorites – was standing there, holding a cordless phone. She was biting her lip uncertainly. "I'm sorry, Beca. I know you're busy – but your wife is on the line – it sounded like something you'd want to take."

The brunette nodded. Sometimes Chloe's enthusiasm, excitement, and general personality made people think that the molehill she was spouting about was actually a mountain. Her wife was used to it. "Thanks," Beca said, taking the phone and clicking the blinking light. She closed herself back into the studio. "Chloe?"

"Dr. Graham just called," Chloe said, sounding hysterical. Yep, this voice would have definitely alerted the office staff to bring the phone to Beca. It was a voice that sent the brunette's heart beating faster.

"Okay," Beca said slowly, her expression puzzled as she paced the small room. "We knew that was the next step, right?"

"She wants to see me today – in an hour. That can't be good. No one asks someone to come back that quickly. If it was good news, I thought she would just send us to the sperm bank. And to get back in to see her, it usually takes weeks – "

Beca gently interrupted her anxious speech. "Slow down, babe. She knows how excited you are – maybe she had a cancellation and slipped you in. It will be fine."

"What if it's not?"

"It will be," Beca responded firmly. She closed her eyes as she leaned her forehead against the closed door. "Listen - why don't you take a taxi and I'll meet you there?"

"I can drive," Chloe argued.

"Chlo – you sound really nervous. I would really rather you not get behind the wheel. I can come and pick you up – but then we'd be late – "

"I'm fine to drive."

"Please," the brunette pleaded softly. There was a pregnant pause while both women considered options. Finally Chloe agreed to her wife's request.

"I'll take a taxi," she consented.

"Thank you," Beca responded. "It's going to be fine – I love you. I'll see you soon." Hanging up, she quickly gathered her possessions and packed them into her bag and purse. Her production assistants were coming back then. She explained to them that she had a family emergency – and she would call them to reschedule.

The artist – a young girl of no more than twenty-two, was lovely to work with. Beca enjoyed her passion for the work, her dedication, and her commitment. Her kindness and naiveté made Beca feel particularly protective – as she had been when she'd begun working with Emily years before. In that moment, she was also thankful when the tiny blonde understood family. She accepted immediately that Beca needed to go. "I'll call to reschedule. Really sorry, Liz."

"It's okay, Beca. I hope everything is alright." So did she. Beca left though back stairwells, not wanting to be intercepted by anyone else. She climbed into her car, doubled checked the doctor's address on her navigation, and started off.

The traffic wasn't terrible – but it was LA in the afternoon, so it wasn't good either. Beca arrived just in time to meet Chloe in the waiting room before the nurse called her. The redhead looked tired and fretful. Beca grabbed her hand and squeezed gently as they were led into an office instead of an exam room. "It's just for a consult," the nurse explained when she saw Chloe's confused expression. The two women sat next to one another in chairs across from the doctor's desk. Beca's eyes followed the nurse as she left the room.

"Something feels wrong," Chloe said softly.

"You don't know that," Beca responded soothingly. "I know it's hard – but try to relax." The doctor walked into the room a few minutes later, hanging her white lab coat on a hook behind the door.

"Sorry to keep you ladies waiting," she said. "I'm running a bit behind today."

"It's fine," Chloe assured her.

The doctor sat at her desk but leaned forward in her chair, opening a file in front of her. "Chloe – I sent all of your lab work out and received the last of it back this morning. I know you're excited to start a family. I'm so sorry – I don't believe you'll be able to get pregnant – even with medical intervention."

She looked genuinely apologetic, but Beca couldn't help but want to hit her. Chloe's crestfallen expression was one she hated – and the doctor had put it there. The brunette put an arm around her wife and squeezed her close, placing a kiss on her temple. She whispered softly into her ear. "It will be okay. Try to stay calm for me, okay?" Chloe somehow held back tears. Beca turned to the doctor, blue-gray eyes steely and hard.

"Why?"

'There are unfortunately two problems," Dr. Graham said. "Chloe's eggs are misshapen – meaning that they won't be fertilized naturally. We could do the procedure to fertilize the eggs and implant them, but the chances of Chloe being able to carry a baby to term are very slim. Her uterus is also abnormally shaped."

"What are the chances?" Beca asked. "Can we still try?"

The doctor offered a pinched smile. "I don't like to discourage anyone. But I'm afraid that the chances of a successful insemination and then pregnancy are very slim – I wouldn't even be comfortable offering you a percentage chance. I would hate to see you go through the emotional, physical, and financial costs of these procedures to have nothing to show for it in the end."

Beca said nothing as they drove home – she had no idea what to say. Chloe was devastated and there was absolutely nothing she could do to fix it. Money, which they now had plenty of, was not going to make things better. Once they arrived home, Chloe jumped out of the car and headed directly for the house. Beca caught up with her in the kitchen, stopping her from her plan to curl up in their bedroom and cry for the rest of the night.

"Chloe – I need you to stay with me, love," she said, holding her steady. "We need to talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about, Beca," she said angrily. "I can't have kids – something I have always wanted. And there's nothing I can do about it. There's nothing you can do."

"We will get another opinion."

Chloe shook her head. "Dr. Graham said she was certain. She had colleagues look at the test results – there's your second opinion."

"At least let Stacie look things over," Beca said. It was a last ditch effort. Stacie had been an OBGYN and general practitioner since she had finished med school several years before. She was Beca's doctor – the only doctor Beca would even entertain seeing.

"Whatever you want," Chloe responded indifferently. She broke away from the small brunette and ran the stairs to their room, slamming the bedroom door in her wake. Beca sighed. Under different circumstances, she would have chased her and asked if that little act of rebellion had made her feel better – but these were not those. She sat down at the kitchen table and began making phone calls. Before the close of business that day, Stacie had Chloe's test results and medical files in her hands. She promised to look them over and get back to them as soon as possible.

Feeling as though she had done all that was currently within her power, Beca made a pot of herbal tea and placed it on a tray with crackers, cheese, and a bit of fruit. She knew Chloe; the redhead had probably not eaten since early that morning after her run. She walked into the bedroom to find her wife exactly where she expected – curled into bed, hiding under the ridiculously expensive but exquisitely comfortable sheets and comforter.

Setting the tray aside, Beca climbed onto the bed and slid in behind Chloe, gently tucking stray wisps of hair behind her ear. "I don't want to talk," Chloe said stubbornly.

"That's okay."

"I really want to be alone right now."

"That's not okay," Beca responded. "I'm not leaving you, Chlo. You are not alone in this." Chloe – who always had something to say – who hated when Beca went silent – did just that. She put up walls Beca didn't know she had and stubbornly refused to speak that evening. The brunette stayed with her anyway, cajoling her into eating and then taking a shower to try to help her relax. They went to bed early that night, Beca curled around her frighteningly despondent wife.

The next morning, Beca texted Liz and the production team to tell them that she needed to take a bit more time – and probably wouldn't be able to get back into the studio until the following week. It would lead to a lot of long days, she knew. Next, while making a batch of French Toast, she took a deep breath and dialed Aubrey.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you always assume something is wrong when I call you?" Beca asked, rolling her eyes. It was against her very nature to appreciate – or admit – when Aubrey was right.

"Because you don't call me to chat," Aubrey answered shortly. "Beca, what's up?" The brunette sighed and began pacing her kitchen.

"Has Chloe told you that we've been looking into starting a family?"

"Yes," Aubrey answered. Beca had figured as much – but you never knew when it came to Chloe and Aubrey. They could share incredibly intimate details – but then also suddenly not talk for three weeks at a time. It was an odd friendship; Beca and Jesse had simply learned to deal with the unexpected when it came to the relationship between their spouses.

Beca placed the finished breakfast onto plates and lowered them into the oven to keep warm. She poured orange juice for herself and apple juice for Chloe. "Well – we got some bad news from Dr. Graham yesterday. Apparently, Chloe can't have kids. At all. With her eggs or any others."

"That's terrible. How is she?"

"Like you would expect," Beca responded. "Aubrey, I've never seen her like this before. She won't get out of bed – she won't talk to me. She'll barely look at me. I don't know what to do."

"Don't leave her alone," Aubrey answered. "I'll be there as soon as I can be. I have a hearing to set up this morning – but I can be there by lunch."

"Has she done this before?" Beca asked. Aubrey knew it was difficult for her to even pose the question – she didn't like admitting that there was a time of which she knew almost nothing – and the blonde knew everything.

"Only once," Aubrey responded. "It'll be fine," she added briskly. "I'll see you soon."

When she arrived around the noon hour, Beca was almost in tears. Chloe was in bed, staring at the ceiling – and absolutely refusing to do anything. She hadn't eaten a bite that morning, hadn't gotten dressed, and wouldn't move. Aubrey had let herself in and stood in the bedroom doorway, assessing the situation. She needed to deal with Beca's distress first – she wasn't going to be able to help with the brunette hovering and worrying.

"Beca," she said softly. "Come over here." Beca looked up at her, momentarily surprised. She looked at Aubrey's outstretched hand and back at Chloe, who was doing nothing and looked frighteningly broken. "Come here, please," Aubrey repeated, more firmly this time. Beca gave Chloe one more glance and crossed the room, allowing Aubrey to lead her out of the bedroom and back to the kitchen.

The blonde forcibly sat her in a kitchen chair and moved around the room, setting the tea kettle to boil and moving to the refrigerator to find food. She made a turkey sandwich, cut an apple, and placed it all in front of Beca.

"I'm fine" the brunette responded, looking up at the older woman. "Don't worry about me – help me with Chloe."

"Did you eat?"

"That's not important – "

"I will go upstairs and deal with Chloe once you eat." Beca rolled her eyes but picked up a slice of the apple and chewed on it obediently. Twenty minutes later, she was finished. Aubrey took her plate and slipped it into the dishwasher. She turned back to look at her critically; she looked exhausted.

"Did you sleep last night?"

"I'm fine," Beca repeated. "Please – tell me what to do about Chloe. I don't know what to do,," she added.

Aubrey walked over to the kitchen cabinet where she knew they kept all of the medications. She sifted through bottles until she found one in particular that had only a few pills shaking around in the bottom. She fished one out and handed it to Beca, along with a bottle of water.

"I'm not taking Ambien," she argued.

"Yes, you are. You look exhausted – that's not going to help Chloe. Go upstairs to one of the guest rooms and take it. I'll stay with her until you wake up."

"I'm not going to knock myself out for a likely 12 hours."

"Yes, you are."

"Why?"

"Again, you look like crap. Also, you're not going to like what I'm going to do."

"What are you going to do?"

"Fix Chloe. Now, up you go." Aubrey practically pushed Beca up the stairs and into one of the guest bedrooms. She knew she could order Aubrey out of her house, or simply ignore her orders, but she really didn't know what to do with Chloe – and she really was tired. She kicked off her boots, shrugged out of her jeans and jacket before slipping under the covers. She glared at Aubrey but said nothing as the blonde watched her take the pill and curl up onto her side. The door closed and everything went black.

When Beca woke, she hadn't moved a muscle. She rolled over, trying to stretch. She reached for her phone on the nightstand and saw that she had slept – for a solid twenty hours. Her heart began fluttering inside her chest; what if Chloe wasn't back to her normal self? What was she going to do? Before she could work herself into a panic, the door creaked open. She was expecting Aubrey but instead saw Chloe standing in the doorway.

She had showered – her red curls were arranged to perfection and she wore jeans and a pretty green blouse. Beca sat up, reaching for the water bottle Aubrey had left for her. Her mouth was dry – and her brain racing. Chloe looked fine. The redhead approached her and sat on the bed, drawing her arms around Beca. "I'm sorry I scared you," she said softly.

"What happened?"

Chloe shook her head. "I don't really know. I was sort of out of it – and then I wasn't."

"What did Aubrey do?"

Chloe shrugged. "I'm not sure. But I know we were jogging when my brain started focusing again. "How are you doing?"

Beca looked at her, oddly. "I'm fine. But you scared the shit out of me. I would really appreciate it if you would try not to do that in the future."

"I'll try my best," Chloe promised. She smiled gently and lay her head on Beca's shoulder, snuggling up to her.

"We have to talk about this," Beca said, her arm snaking around to pull Chloe closer.

"I know. Why don't you go get showered and dressed – and I'll warm up breakfast? Aubrey made pancakes and bacon before she left." She laughed when she saw Beca light up. "Are you excited about bacon, or Aubrey leaving?"

"I can't be excited about both?" Beca asked. Chloe laughed and kissed her.

"See you downstairs," she whispered, pulling just far enough away to form the words. Then she was gone. Beca picked up her phone and texted Aubrey. _I don't know what you did – pretty sure I don't want to know – but thank you_. She received a quick and smug response as she reached her bedroom.

That morning, after eating breakfast, they sat together on the deck that overlooked their backyard. Beca leaned against Chloe on the outdoor sofa, her feet pulled up beside her. "How many times has that happened before?" Beca asked after a lengthy silence. "Where you just check out?"

Chloe considered the question for a moment. "Twice – senior year of high school when my grandmother passed away. Sophomore year at Barden when a frat guy tried to rape me –"

"Wait. What? You never told me about that –"

"At the time, I was really thrown by it – it was really frightening. But in the long run, nothing happened. I was fine. It's not really a thing anymore. I honestly haven't thought about it in years – until I snapped out of yesterday's episode and thought about the other times it's happened."

It took another hour of small talk and careful navigations before the pregnancy situation was brought up. "I'm sorry, about what Dr. G told us. I know you wanted to be pregnant – and give birth. And I'm sorry you can't have that. But it doesn't mean we can't have a family."

"I know," Chloe said with a brave smile. "I know that. But I need some time, before we talk about other options. I need time to process this." Beca nodded and leaned back into her. The conversation was over for the moment – but they both felt content with it. It was okay for now. And that was better than most alternatives.

Beca still had a slim hope that a second opinion was all they needed. But Stacie's expression was enough to give her away. That, and the fact that she showed up at their front door on a Friday evening. "I'm so sorry," she said as Beca let her in. "I wanted to be able to tell you something else – "

"But you can't," Beca finished simply. Stacie shook her head. Chloe, having heard the door open, was standing at the top of the stairs. As soon as she saw Stacie, she knew. Not having the energy to run away anymore, she sat down on the top stair and hugged her knees to her chest, resting her forehead on them. Beca was at her side almost immediately, rubbing her back and making promises she couldn't keep. This time, Chloe remained present. She cried, but then dried her tears and went on with her day.

The conversation lay dead in the water. Beca waited a month before bringing it back up – only to be gently shot down by her wife. That happened twice before she decided to investigate other options on her own – and go to Chloe with real options, not just ideas.

That was how she found herself in Stacie's office almost three months after the debacle with Chloe's doctor. "You might as well change your name to fertile myrtle," Stacie said once she finished the exam. Beca had already had blood drawn two days before so the results would be ready for her appointment.

"You're hilarous," she said dryly. "So – what do we do now?"

"First – you have to tell Chloe that you've even looked into this," Stacie said.

"Be my doctor for a second," Beca said with a roll of her eyes. "Not a nosy friend. What's next?"

"You need to find a sperm donor – either a person or you can visit the sperm bank. Then you need to have the specimen delivered here – I'll give you the name of the nurse who can coordinate – and then once you ovulate, we can inseminate."

"It sound so gross," Beca whined, cringing. Stacie laughed.

"That's the easy part. Then there's nine months of pregnancy - and a lifetime of being a parent. Are you ready for that?"

"Of course not, dude. I can barely take care of myself. But Chloe is ready – and I want a family with her. I figure I'll pick it up as I go along. Chloe won't let me screw up the little humans too much." Stacie smiled and shook her head. Beca left the office feeling more nervous – and more hopeful – than she had in quite a few months.

They sat on the deck after dinner the next night, Beca sipping on what she knew was potentially going to be one of her last beers for a long, long time. Chloe nursed a glass of wine, staring out into the yard. Usually silence between them was comfortable, but Beca didn't feel it that night – she was tense. She finally spoke, piercing the veil between them. "I went to see Stacie yesterday," she said quickly, needing to spit out the truth. Chloe turned to look at her, eyes wide with worry.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Beca was not a person who chose to go to the doctor. She had to be cajoled – and occasionally threatened – into showing up for her yearly physical.

"I'm fine," Beca promised. "I know we've always talked about you carrying our kids – because you wanted to – and I wouldn't mind having a bunch of little mini-yous running around. But since we talked to Dr. Graham, I've been thinking – just because you can't carry our kids, doesn't mean we can't have them biologically."

"Beca," Chloe said softly. "I can't ask you to do that. Your career – "

"Music producers actually are allowed to have personal lives," Beca teased. "And I mean, I might need to move some things so I can reach all of my equipment once my stomach is making me look like a beached whale, but other than that – I don't see any big problems."

"Are you sure about this?"

Beca smiled. "Chloe – did you think I agreed to start a family just to make you happy? I want one too – and if this is how we make it work, then I'm all in." Chloe's huge grin was topped with tears before she launched herself at her wife, hugging her firmly.

Several conversations and two trips to the sperm bank later, they were not happy with their options. "I sort of want some promise that at least one of our kids is going to look like you," Beca whined, as they looked again through a book that contained mysterious sperm donors. "But none of these fits."

"I know this might be a crazy idea – and it's probably never going to work – but how would you feel if we went about this in a different way? Maybe we don't need to choose a stranger?" Beca listened carefully to her idea and – although it was intimidating and wrought with problems, it was the best idea Beca had heard since they'd started looking for the other half of their family's DNA.

Two weeks later, they were on an airplane headed for Georgia. At first they considered waiting until the visit was ending to pitch their idea, but both decided to simply throw it out there. "The worst thing they can say is no," Beca reminded her wife softly as they drove closer to her childhood home. Dinner was always fun at the Beale home – they were far more personable and friendly than Beca's own family. She had never witnessed enjoyable family dinners until she'd begun dating Chloe. That night, it was no exception – but neither woman was able to eat much thanks to nerves.

"Rest assured, this is going to be a really awkward conversation," Beca said as she sat down on the sofa next to Chloe. They were gathered into the family room after dinner. Her two brothers – both their wives – and their parents were in attendance. Chloe didn't like to leave anyone out. Beca had drawn the line at inviting her own parents – she claimed it was unnecessary and weird. They could just invited to the kid's graduation party.

Beca looked to her wife to begin the conversation.

"Are you girls alright? Is someone sick?" Lydia asked, after too much silence had passed.

"No, mom," Chloe assured her. "We're both fine."

"Well, I mean, I have – you know, issues. But in general we're fine," Beca agreed. The family all tried not to smirk or smile at her comments. It was her nerves. She ran her hands though her perfect curls, a move that was also familiar to them all. It was one of her tics.

"Beca and I have decided to start a family," Chloe finally said firmly. Beca felt a bit dizzy but nodded. She pointed at Chloe.

"What she said."

"That's wonderful!" Lydia said, clapping her hands. She had been clamoring for more grandchildren for quite some time.

"We're happy to hear it," Benjamin added. "How does that work with – well, you know," he said, fumbling for words. Beca smiled brightly. She loved that her wife's father was sometimes less eloquent than her. She didn't like to be the only awkward one in a room.

"I had pretty much the same question, Ben," she informed him.

"A few months ago – I found out that my eggs aren't viable," Chloe said, shaking off anyone who tried to speak and offer her condolences. "It's alright – I'm coming to terms with it. But it means that Beca has to carry the baby – with her eggs."

"Yay," Beca muttered, smiling awkwardly.

"We have the option of going to a sperm bank and choosing from there – but there are risks involved with not knowing entire family histories, that kind of thing." She looked at both brothers. Jason looked clueless but she knew Alex was already ahead of her – knowing what was coming. "It is so much to ask – and if you don't feel its right – we won't go this route. We'll figure out something else."

"But we like the idea of having both our gene pools represented inside our children," Beca said, pursing her lips when she finished.

"But it's a lot to ask," Chloe repeated.

"It's totally okay if neither one of you are cool with it – it could potentially lead to a lot more awkward family conversations in the future. And we all know how much fun those are," Beca said with faux excitement.

Jason suddenly realized what they were talking about. "You want one of us to donate the sperm?"

Alex laughed. "Welcome aboard, brother," he said, slapping him on the back. Alex and his wife, Alice, had already been exchanging glances. She nodded slightly and he smiled. "I can't imagine a better reason to give up some of my bodily fluids than to see you two attempt to raise children. It's going to be hilarious."

Chloe looked at him, taken aback. "You're saying yes? You don't need to think about it? Talk to Alice?"

"I think it's sweet," Alice assured her. "I don't mind if Alex doesn't."

"This would be private information," Chloe said. "Beca is pretty well known – so this has to stay in the family. And the kids – "

"Don't need to know," Alex interrupted. "This doesn't need to go beyond this room. You tell me where to go drop off the goods and then you ladies do whatever you want with them."

"Ewe," Beca said, scrunching up her nose. Chloe laughed; this was going to be interesting.

* * *

Thanks, everyone, for reading the first installment. This is my first story for Pitch Perfect - but far from my first fan fiction. For those who found this because you have me on alert for my one unfinished Victorious Story - I have not forgotten about it - I still hope to finish Childhood is the Kingdom. Hopefully Liz Gillies' reemergence on the small screen will give me new inspiration.

Back to my current inspiration - Beca and Chloe. This is going to be a fairly small story – 3-4 chapters tops. But if you like it, I'm working on another that is set – with the same family dynamics – 18 years in the future. Please let me know what you thought – good, bad, or in-between.


	2. Bright Blessed Day

Chapter 2 - Bright Blessed Day

"I can't believe Legacy is getting married when I'm nine months pregnant," Beca grumbled, holding onto the car door as she tried to gracefully slide into her seat. It was impossible. She had not been graceful before pregnancy – and now she was just a mess. A heated mess, as the jackass from DSM would have put it. In addition to her stomach to body ratio throwing her all off, she was more than unhappy that a heatwave had hit early in California – and no amount of air conditioning was helping. Chloe told her it was psychosomatic, but Beca was certain that she was hot. All the time.

"Emily and Benji planned their wedding long before you got pregnant," Chloe reminded her, sliding into the driver's seat, her sunglasses hiding the mirth in her eyes. She wanted to help her wife – but she knew how that would be received. Not well.

"I didn't think the first one would take. Isn't is supposed to be like pancakes? The first one is always crap."

"Yes, Beca. IVF is completely like making pancakes," Chloe said, not even trying to hide her smile. She waited until the door closed and helped Beca buckle her seatbelt – that was not something the tiny brunette could even attempt to do alone anymore. "Can you try to calm down about this? We have a long drive. And if you complain the whole time – I might forget all of the good reasons I had to marry you."

Beca simply stuck her tongue out at Chloe and took a flash drive from her purse – placing it into the slot near the radio. "Perfect," the redhead said with a smile as a mix beginning with _Life is a Highway_ came over the speakers. Beca looked pleased at the compliment. The peace and calm lasted for about an hour. Beca had to stop to pee. Immediately. Luckily, they were within a mile of a rest stop – so Chloe might have sped a little, but they made it. When Beca returned to the car, she glared at Chloe over the roof. They stood on either side. Chloe tilted her head, waiting for whatever sarcastic jab was coming.

"At this rate, we're going to be in Kansas when they get married."

"We're not driving through Kansas," Chloe said simply, sliding back into the car.

Chloe felt she was being a fairly good sport about Beca's mood swings, but she texted Aubrey a list of complaints at each rest stop. According to Beca, Texas was too big. Their car was too small. The air conditioner was broken (despite the fact that Chloe was freezing). Her hair was too long. Possibly it was also too brown. She didn't remember what her toes looked like. Pregnant-people clothing was horrid. Strangers had looked at her belly at one of the rest stops. Chloe really wished her wife could mix in the car – it would keep her busy. But she got carsick too easily to do anything other than sleep or stare out the window.

Two and a half days of travel – and 34 hours of driving later - Chloe wanted to jump out the window – and possibly file for divorce. "Oh my god," she said, when she finally stumbled out of the car in front of Beca's dad's house. "Thank god."

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Beca said with a shrug. Chloe's glare was strong and she might actually have killed her, had Warren Mitchell not come out of the house that very moment.

"Beca! Chloe!" He hugged each of them, taking time to marvel at his daughter's missing waistline. "Should you be traveling this close to your due date?" He asked, concerned. Beca rolled her eyes; he'd asked that over the phone at least three times in the planning for this trip.

"Chill, Dad. We've been over this. We checked. Flying is dangerous – driving is fine," Beca promised. "And my doctor is a guest at the wedding – so it actually makes more sense for me to be here where she is than in California without a doctor."

"You look gorgeous, Bec," he said as he looked at her again, after setting the last suitcase down in the living room.

"I'm waddling like a penguin," Beca told him sternly. "Don't lie to me."

"You do look good," Sheila assured her, appearing from the kitchen. "Some of the girls in the department have had babies lately – poor Hilary was so swollen for the last month that it looked like her skin was going to pop."

"Thank you for that visual," Beca responded with a grimace.

"Would you girls like some lunch?" Sheila asked. "We have cold ginger and carrot soup – or I can make sandwiches."

"That sounds great," Chloe said. Her eyes went to Beca's returning grumpy expression and interrupted before she could speak. "But we ate a late breakfast – and I think Beca needs a nap."

"I'm not a child," she said petulantly.

"No," Chloe agreed. "But you are being sent to your room for a nap like one," she informed her. Without leaving room for another argument, Chloe took her arm and walked her up the stairs to the guest bedroom. She took Beca directly into the bathroom and sat her on the closed toilet lid, leaning into the tub to start the shower. "Get in the shower – carefully," she ordered, dropping a kiss on Beca's head. "I will go and find your pajamas and bring them back. Then you are taking a nap."

Beca wanted to grumble on principal, but it actually sounded like a fantastic plan. Half an hour later, she was lying in bed on her side, eyes fighting to stay open while Chloe towel dried her hair. "My back hurts," she said softly.

"I know," Chloe answered soothingly. "Too much time in the car. If you close your eyes, I'll give you a backrub." Beca did – and fell to sleep while her wife magically worked the knots out of her muscles.

Once she was asleep and seemed comfortable, Chloe took her own shower and changed into a yellow dress with random sprays of red and orange flowers. She walked into the kitchen to find Warren and Sheila. The older woman smiled. "Can I get you something to eat?"

Chloe nodded. "That soup sounded great. Sorry about earlier - I just needed to get Beca into bed before we ended up divorced."

"That bad?" Warren asked, trying to hold back his laughter.

"You've met your daughter," Chloe responded. "I've just spent the past three days driving across the country with her – and she was already uncomfortable and cranky before we started."

"You're a saint, Chloe."

"Don't I know it," she responded, gratefully accepting the summer soup that Sheila set in front of her. She also felt much better once she ate and decided to see if she could catch a quick nap herself. She slept beside Beca for a few hours, then woke again and spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the porch with Warren and Sheila.

After a nap and a shower, Beca felt worlds better. She dressed in a black sundress and wrapped a red scarf around her neck. She was dangling earring from her lobes when Chloe found her. "You look more comfortable," she said, kissing her wife.

"I am. Sorry I was such a grouch on the way here."

"I understand – I know you haven't been comfortable for a while. That makes travel unpleasant." She pulled away and smiled at Beca in the mirror. "You look beautiful. Are you almost ready to go? Aubrey and Jesse are picking us up – we figured with street parking, fewer cars made sense." Beca nodded, slipping her rings onto her left hand and bracelets onto her right.

They sat on the porch waiting and stood when they saw the approaching car. Jesse practically barreled into her, making Beca yelp in surprise. She hugged him back though, happy to see him for the first time in several weeks. He had been working on a project in New York, so his presence in LA was sorely missed. He lifted her from her feet and she smacked him. "Dude, put me down."

He did, immediately, and looked alarmed. "Did I hurt you? The babies?"

"No," Beca said. "But I still don't like to be manhandled. Weirdo," she muttered with a smile. "That is completely unfair," Beca said, looking up to see Aubrey standing behind him, her hand resting demurely on her perfectly rounded tiny stomach. "You look perfect."

"I'm only four months pregnant," Aubrey reminded her. "And we're not having twins. You look wonderful, Beca."

"Don't go soft on me, Posen," Beca said. But she did hug Aubrey.

They headed close to campus to an upscale restaurant that none of them could have afforded in college. Beca and Chloe had rented out the entire patio for a reunion dinner with the Bellas and the Treblemakers. Most of the groups were already there, eating appetizers and drinking what Beca assumed was copious amounts of alcohol. Several of the Treblemakers were already singing.

"Why did we think this was a good idea?" Beca asked, looking up at Jesse.

"Not sure," Jesse said, a grin creeping into his expression. "Because it's not – it's an amazing idea!" He bounded off toward a few old teammates, leaving his best friend shaking her head. She walked toward the center of the space where Emily and Benji were sitting together on an outdoor sofa. Emily jumped to her feet and squealed when she saw Beca, hugging her fiercely.

"Okay, Em," Beca said calmly. "That's enough. I'm here for a few days. You can let go now." Emily did, but still remained close. "I'm so happy you're here!"

"Wouldn't miss it," Beca replied honestly. She looked at Benji, who still managed to look incredibly guilty every time she found him in the vicinity of Emily –and they had been dating for five years. "Hey, Benji."

"Hi, Beca. How was your trip?"

"It was fine. I think I almost killed Chloe, but we all made it." She turned when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Stacie, looking breathtaking as usual in a slinky red dress. She had not brought a date, so all of the single Treblmakers were already laying bets on who would get her to share the weekend with him. Beca had already overheard the mutterings and wondered how she could reveal to them – in the funniest way possible – that none of them had a chance in hell anymore. Stacie had realized long ago that she didn't play for that team. The tall brunette hugged her and pulled back – her hand resting protectively on Beca's stomach. She was the only one – other than Chloe – who could get away with that.

"How are you?" She asked, her brow knit with concern.

"I'm fine," Beca assured her. "You saw me four days ago."

"Before a strenuous trip. Your blood pressure?"

"It's normal. Trust me, Chloe is watching me like a hawk – she makes me take it twice a day – and you'd be the first phone call if those numbers dip above 120/60."

"Good," Stacie answered. "You need to be careful."

"I'm clearly not allowed to – but are you planning to have any fun on this trip?" Beca asked. Stacie smiled, her eyes fixed on a woman Beca recognized from Emily's senior year in the Bellas.

"I'm going to try my best," she answered. "I don't think I've met that one," she said seductively, pecking Beca on the cheek before walking away. Chloe appeared then at her side, handing her a glass of water.

"Stacie on the hunt?" They watched as she approached the blonde who was two years Emily's junior.

Beca nodded. "Yeah – we should probably have Emily warn the younger Bellas. Some of the Treblemakers think they have a shot – they're making bets."

Chloe laughed. "Well, they honestly had very few IQ points to rub together pre and post Jesse and Benji." The party was actually a lot of fun. Beca only had to hit a few people who tried to touch her stomach – she still couldn't believe that people thought they could do that. The evening was still going strong when her exhaustion hit. Chloe found her curled up in the corner on one of the sofas, her head on a pillow and her feet in Jesse's lap. Jesse nodded to her and stood up, giving the spot to Chloe. Beca woke when she felt someone touching her feet. She relaxed when she realized that it was Chloe, trying to massage them around the thin black sandals she wore.

"You ready to go home, sweetie?" Chloe asked, once she saw Beca's eyes fluttering open. The brunette nodded sleepily. "You think you can walk to the car?" She shook her head; she really didn't. Jesse was still close by, so Chloe waved him over and he gently lifted Beca into his arms, carrying her out to the car. Once they arrived home, the ex-boyfriend carried the tiny, sleeping brunette back to the guestroom. Warren and Sheila watched from the doorway.

"Is she okay?" He asked, concern evident as he looked at her sleeping form on the bed.

Chloe nodded. "Just tired. The babies are zapping her energy pretty quickly lately." The next two days were insanity between the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner and helping prepare the reception hall. Granted, Beca was relegated to doing almost nothing. Every time she was given a job that might have been useful, Chloe or Stacie showed up to take it away – shooing her away to sit down or "rest."

She still was exhausted by the time the actual wedding rolled around. She was the maid of honor, despite – in her opinion – her ridiculous size. As the maid of honor, she was supposed to walk the aisle on her own, just in front of Emily. Once the planners of the wedding saw exactly what "nine months pregnant" actually looked like, she was given her very own usher to walk her down the aisle. It was Unicycle – but as long as he didn't touch her too much, she was good. Jesse and Benji were already at the altar, so she was able to make faces at them occasionally, amusing herself as they walked slowly to the front.

When she arrived, she stood across from Jesse and beside a few of the younger Bellas – Emily had eventually made friends her own age. Chloe smiled at her from her seat between Stacie and Aubrey in one of the front rows. Emily appeared – looked as gorgeous as expected – and almost made Benji fall over. Once the groom was as stable as he would ever be, the wedding party turned and the priest began to speak.

Something wasn't right. Her back hurt – badly. But she knew it was from standing in these cheap shoes for too long. Why were weddings so long? Why hadn't she invested in more comfortable shoes? Beca kept a smile plastered to her face as she went through the motions holding Emily's flowers and fixing her gown when she turned. Exhaustion was hitting her hard by the time the ceremony ended. She almost sighed in relief when the priest announced;

"By the power vested in me by the church and the state of Georgia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Beca smiled as Emily blushed a deep red – and so did Benji. They kissed gently and turned, arm-in-arm, to be presented. Beca stepped toward the center of the aisle as they began their walk, taking Jesse's arm as he came from the other side. They were supposed to follow, next down the aisle, but she stood stock still in front of the cross, unable to move. Jesse saw her face and leaned close, waving the other bridal party couples in front of them.

"Bec? What's wrong?"

"I think I'm bleeding," she said, looking down at the ground. She couldn't see it because of her belly, but Jesse could see a trail of blood on her feet below the ankle-length gown and blood already pooled in her silver shoes. His stomach turned. He was pretty sure this was not how labor started. He wrapped his arms around her.

"Okay," he said, as calmly as he could manage. "Sit down – I'll find Stacie." He lowered her to the ground but before he could leave to find the doctor, she appeared at their side. She had seen Beca falter – as had most of the church. Chloe, Aubrey, Jesse, and Beca's father and step-mother created a loose circle, blocking the general assembly from seeing much.

Chloe was frantic, kneeling by Beca's head. "What happened? What's wrong?"

"It's fine," Beca insisted. "I'm sure it's fine. Right?" She asked Stacie. Her eyes pleaded with the brunette to assure her that she was correct. "Tell them its fine."

Stacie didn't respond. "What happened before the blood came? Anything?"

"My back aches really badly – it started right as the ceremony did – I thought it was from standing too long in these stupid shoes." She watched as the other brunette donned gloves and – much to the dismay of many – reached beneath her dress to examine her. "This is an altar," she said, aghast. "You can't do that here."

"There a lot of things I do that God will probably hold against me," Stacie responded, "I don't think this is one of those things."

"This altar will need new carpet," Amy said, appearing behind Aubrey, craning to see what was going on. "Legacy is wondering where you all went. Is it aca-baby time?"

Stacie was ignoring them all, except for Beca. She removed her gloves and turned to Aubrey. "Find towels – as many as you can." Beca's father was next. "Call an ambulance. If they're going to be more than 10 minutes, tell them not to bother – and bring the car around to the handicapped entrance." Chloe was leaning close to Beca, trying to offer her words of reassurance as she gripped her hands. Stacie bent forward more so she could speak with them as privately as the situation allowed.

"Beca, I need you to stay calm for me, okay? As calm and as still as you can be. No pushing. It's going to feel like you need to push – but you can't. Promise?"

Beca nodded, tears now streaming. She had never been so frightened before. "Stacie, what's wrong?" She was begging for answers now. Something just felt off. Her body was betraying her and she couldn't do anything about it.

"Calm," Stacie reminded her. "We just need to get to the hospital. The placenta detached from your uterine wall – which is where all the blood is coming from. We just need to get the babies out as soon as we can. They're almost full term – so they're going to be fine." Professor Mitchell appeared then, handing the phone to Stacie. The ambulance, he told Audrey, was only a few minutes away. Beca began shivering as the paramedics arrived and Stacie started telling them what they needed to do.

"She's freezing," Chloe told Stacie.

"She's going into shock from the blood loss," Stacie told her. She took an IV from one of the paramedics and expertly inserted it, beginning a line for saline. While Stacie worked attaching monitors and IVs, the paramedics lifted Beca carefully into the backboard and strapped her into place.

Chloe wasn't allowed in the ambulance – there wasn't room. But Stacie was with her, so that helped. She found herself being led to Aubrey's car – Jesse did a fantastic job of keeping up with the ambulance.

When they arrived at the hospital, Chloe was stopped at the Emergency Room doors. Stacie didn't take the time to even look at her – she nodded to Aubrey, who took over. The blonde physically moved her best friend from the entry and dragged her toward the waiting room. "This is not how it's supposed to happen, Aubrey. We have a plan," Chloe told her hollowly. "And nowhere in that plan is my wife covered in blood in a church! What if something happens to her? What if it's not okay?" She was almost hyperventilating as she conjured the different images in her mind.

"It will be," Aubrey assured her. "This is Beca we're talking about. She's a fighter – she's going to be just fine." They wait wasn't terribly long – but it felt it. After twenty minutes, a nurse had come to tell them that they should go wait in the maternity ward – that was where Beca and the babies would be after leaving the OR. The waiting room was full. Aubrey had tried to convince people to go home – or go to the reception – but all of the Bellas and most of the Tremblemakers waited. Emily and Benji were there, having skipped their own reception. Aubrey had tried to coax Emily into changing into the dress her mother had brought, but the young woman was still a little dazed and extremely frightened – she wasn't budging from Benji's side.

Stacie's light blue dress was covered in blood when she disappeared into the Emergency Room with Beca and the two paramedics. When she reappeared an hour later in the maternity ward waiting room, she had on a clean pair of scrubs and her hair was pulled back into a messy bun. Chloe stood from her spot between Aubrey and Jesse as the brunette appeared. "Beca is fine – she's stable," she announced almost before she reached them. Chloe took what felt like her first breath in hours.

"She lost a lot of blood – she'll likely need another transfusion in the next few hours. But we stopped the bleeding and there shouldn't be any permanent damage."

Chloe's heart pounded – she hadn't realized that had been a possibility. "The babies?"

"Apparently they're already singers," Stacie said with a smile. "I'm pretty sure they came out screaming in key. They're perfect. They're just a bit on the small side – probably a mix of being early – and from having Beca's DNA." Chloe smiled. "They'll be kept in the NICU overnight just for observation – but they're both breathing on their own – so they won't be there long."

"Can I see her? And them?" Chloe asked, tears pooling in her blue eyes.

"Beca is still in recovery," Stacie told her. "It will be a few hours before you can see her."

Chloe's face fell. "I can't just leave her alone – she's all by herself."

"Chloe – she is drugged out of her mind. She's not lucid or conscious right now," Stacie told her. "And there's a recovery nurse with her constantly – I promise, she's fine." Chloe bit her lip but finally nodded. Stacie took her arm and led her down the hall. "The babies are just over here." She led them to a windowed room that had NICU written in playful block letters. But it was frightening inside – Chloe could see through the window that the babies were each in his or her own plastic box. Well, most of them. Stacie pointed toward two bassinettes that were just entering the space. A nurse pushed each one. The babies inside here swaddled and wore little caps, so you couldn't see much – but Chloe knew they were hers.

Stacie pointed toward the door and Chloe followed her. She looked at Chloe. "We can take one more person in."

"Emily," Chloe responded, knowing it was what Beca would want. The two women washed their hands up to their elbows and scrubbed under their nails, following Stacie's instructions. The donned yellow gowns over their clothing – Emily's over her wedding dress – and were allowed to walk into the space.

The rest of their friends and family watched from the window as Chloe met her daughters for the first time. She was overcome with joy. Tears dripped freely from her cheeks as she gently reached out to touch them. "You can hold them," the nearest nurse told her with a smile. Chloe looked startled but nodded. The nurse directed her to a rocking chair and brought the first baby over. "This little doll," she said sweetly, "was born first. She's a bit smaller than her sister – four pounds and eleven ounces." She placed the child into the crook of Chloe's right arm and the redhead leaned close, kissing the baby's forehead.

"She's perfect." Beca was going to be thrilled – it looked like the baby had red hair; just what the brunette had wanted for at least one of the twins.

"You're a little biased," the nurse laughed. "But I'd agree with you." She approached with the second baby and Chloe looked baffled. The nurse laughed again. "You'll have to learn how to hold two at once sooner or later. Might as well be sooner." She helped Chloe balance the first baby as she placed the second into the crook of her other arm. Emily watched in awe, Stacie in pride and joy.

Chloe remained in the nursery for a good two hours, holding one or both of the babies. Emily traded places so that Aubrey, Jesse, Benji, Mr. Mitchell, and Chloe's newly arrived parents could all see the babies as well. "Chlo," Stacie said softly. The redhead looked up, eyes still glassy from the tears she'd cried all day. Stacie smiled. "Beca is awake." Stacie took one baby from Chloe's arms.

"Why don't we introduce them to their mama?" Chloe followed Stacie down the hall with the baby in her arms and she was terrified – what if she dropped her? What if someone ran into her? This was serious business – how did anyone ever let their child out in the world? It was too dangerous. But her fears diminished when she saw her wife. Beca was lying in bed, much paler than usual, but glowing with a smile as she watched Stacie and Chloe enter. Stacie immediately lay the first baby on Beca's chest, helping the weak brunette support her head. Beca stared at her fondly, enamored. Chloe moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed, holding the second baby so that Beca could see.

"We did a pretty good job," she said with a weak smile.

"You did all the heavy lifting, mama," Chloe said. She leaned close and kissed Beca's cheek, then her lips. She smoothed her hair back with her free hand. "You are not allowed to scare me like that – ever again." She looked down at the babies. "That goes for all three of you," she said sternly.

"I didn't know Chloe was going to be the disciplinarian," Stacie said with a smirk.

"I'm a complete pushover," Beca told her. She felt her hands growing weaker and looked up at the doctor reluctantly. "I want to hold her – but I'm really tired." Stacie lifted the baby.

"You'll have plenty of time with them soon enough," she promised. "You need to rest now." Beca didn't argue –another sure sign she was exhausted. She was sleeping before Stacie rounded the bed to speak with Chloe.

"I'll have them bring in the bassinets. There's no reason the babies can't be in here with you. They'll take them back to the NICU for the night through."

"Thank you, Stacie," Chloe said, her voice so sincere and full of emotion.

Beca was never fully functional that day – she was stilled drugged. The most important conversation she could really participate in was the one where very visitor hold her how beautiful her girls were and she agreed.

The next day, she was lucid. Also in a bit of pain, but she didn't begrudge it at all. As long as she could see those gorgeous infants, she remembered that the pain had been worth it. She looked apologetic when Emily and Benji appeared that next day around lunchtime. "I'm so sorry we ruined your wedding."

"Our wedding was perfect," Emily promised. "The reception – well, we can have a party any time," she said with a shrug. "And I'm pretty honored – I get to share my anniversary with these beautiful babies." Benji wholeheartedly agreed with his usual mixture of blushing and embarrassed smiles.

It took three days before Beca was allowed to sit up. A nurse helped her wash her hair and – to her utter embarrassment – take a sponge bath. But she felt much better once clean. She was dressed in a pair of pajamas Chloe had rescued from her suitcase. Her hair was dry and curled, floating in soft locks past her shoulders. A nursing pillow was on her lap and she used it to support the weight of the babies as she held them. With her weakened state, it was the only way she trusted herself with both at the same time. She smiled knowingly as her friends and family crowded into the room. Aubrey and Jesse to her right, flanking Chloe. Emily, Benjy, and Stacie to her left. Her father, Sheila, Chloe's parents, Cynthia Rose, Lily, Jessica, Amy, and Ashley along the far wall.

"Are you finally going to tell us what you're naming these kids, or what?" Amy demanded. "Because if you don't – I'm going with my original plan to call them Bloe 1 and Bloe 2."

Beca rolled her eyes and shook her head at Amy. She looked up at Chloe, who sat next to her and took one of the infants.

"This," Beca said, indicating the baby she was holding – the one with brunette hair, "is Isabella Rebecca Beale-Mitchell."

"That is a large name for a tiny girl," Jesse teased.

"We'll just stick with calling her Bella on a day to day basis."

"It's perfect," Audrey responded.

Chloe bounced the baby in her arms. "And this is Poppy Alexandra Beale-Mitchell."

"Isn't this going to be confusing for Bella when they go to Barden and become Bellas?" Aubrey asked, teasing.

"We're not too worried about it," Beca responded. She cradled Bella closer to her chest. "And it is going to be their choice if they go to Barden," she said warningly, shooting a look at Aubrey and her father.

"Hey!" Warren argued with a laugh. "Just think if I hadn't made you go – you wouldn't be here right now, missy." Beca shook her head at him but smiled radiantly as she looked down at the infant in her arms.

(And I think to myself, what a wonderful world).

* * *

Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows. For those of you who took the time to review, extra-special thanks! If you haven't yet, please take a moment to review. I would love to know what you liked, best lines, worst mistakes, whatever you want to comment on. But please do comment! It lets me know that you enjoyed the story and would like to read more.

This story has no more – but please review and let me know what you like about this – and if you would like to see a follow up. (I've got a much longer story in the works full of parental Beca and Chloe). Thanks for reading!


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